1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a mobile communication terminal such as a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) phone, a game phone, a chatting phone, a camera phone, an MP3 phone, a cellular phone, a Personal Communication Service (PCS) phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a Hand Held Phone (HHP), and in particular, to a portable charging cradle that allows a user to conveniently charge/cradle a mobile communication terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the term “portable terminal” refers to an electronic apparatus carried with a user to perform wireless communication. The wireless communication may be voice communication, message transmission, file transmission, video communication, or a camera function. Additionally, the portable communication terminal serves as a personal agent by performing phone number management and personal schedule management.
In terms of portability, such portable terminals tend to be compact, slim, and light, and have excellent gripping properties and also include multimedia availability for a wide variety of functions. Future portable terminals are expected to incorporate greater multi-functionality and multi-purpose utilization. Future portable terminals will also be more compact and light and will be modified to be suitable for various multimedia environments or Internet environments.
Conventional portable communication terminals may be classified into various types according to their appearance in consideration of portability and convenience in use, such as bar-type communication terminals and folder-type communication terminals. The bar-type communication terminal has a single housing shaped like a bar in which data input/output devices, an antenna device, and transmission/reception devices are mounted. The folder-type communication terminal has a folder coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge device in such a manner that the folder can be rotated in order to be folded towards and unfolded away from the housing. For example, in a folder-type portable communication terminal, a folder is rotatably coupled to a main body by a hinge device, keys are disposed in the main body, and a display unit is disposed in the folder in the folder-type mobile communication terminal, contributing to miniaturization and portability. A folder-type portable communication terminal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,406, which is commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application. In the disclosed folder-type portable communication terminal, a camera lens housing is mounted in a hinge device.
Additionally, the portable communication terminals may be further classified as swing-type communication terminals and sliding-type communication terminals based upon the way of opening and closing the communication terminals. In the swing-type communication terminals, two housings are coupled to each other to allow one housing to rotate relative to the other while facing each other. In the sliding-type communication terminal, two housings are coupled to each other to allow one housing to slide along a longitudinal direction to open or close the sliding-type communication terminal.
These various types of mobile communication terminals are supplied with electrical power from a rechargeable battery which is capable of being charged in a separate charging cradle. A general charging cradle has a slot for supporting a mobile communication terminal in a charging state and a battery pack is charged while being settled in the slot.
However, a charging cradle used in a general mobile communication terminal is inconvenient to carry. In other words, the charging cradle has a larger width and length than the mobile communication terminal and is bulky, making it inconvenient for the user to carry the charging cradle.
Moreover, the user experiences inconvenience in being required to check to see that the mobile communication terminal is stably settled in the slot of the charging cradle.
Furthermore, the charging cradle provides only a charging function when the mobile communication terminal is settled in the charging cradle.